Posted 3 years ago on Nov. 29, 2011, 4:48 p.m. EST by brightonsage
(4494)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

Tactics supporting a strategy is what works.

Re the tactics of Occupy. The physical occupation is, shall we say, dicey for the long run. Legally, it is sometimes on thin ice, and leads to a lawbreaker vs law enforcer dynamic which takes the conversation away from the real issues, (yes I know they are overstepping their bounds, but if the control of government is returned to the people, they (that is, we) will stop that sort of thing, besides. cops are part of the 99%, have kids, are losing their union representation etc.This is a case where their job gets nasty.

So, how do we keep the important issues in front of their faces while looking like good people (not thugs)?

I may not have all of the answers but at least I am trying. Here is one. Let's use the new media to allow us to react like lightning.

Targets, are identified and a time and a message is set. At the zero hour, a large mass of 99%er humanity (which is cleverly disguised to look like everyone else, because they are everyone else,) suddenly does a mic check, or otherwise expresses their complaint about the target, they wait for the press to show up, although they were told just before the happening, the press gets some good photos, a quick statement. and the Occupy folks disappear in an orderly fashion, before the cops show up (they will be slow because they have to round up a big force and have to hand out the pepper spray etc.) It is a FLASH OCCUPATION. It is clean, it is legal, it is humane and it is an effective tactic in demonstrating our message, our efficacy and tenacity.

Scale this up to a coordinated FLASH OCCUPATION in 50 cities at exactly the same time. The next one, a rolling FLASH Occupation in 50 state capitols, each starting 15 minutes apart. Have a high school marching band teacher lay out patterns in all sorts of creative ways. It will keep the interest up, OCCUPY MINDS.

Small point. You need to have everyone checking in at a single URL or facebook page for coordination, if you want anonymity. Or, a blast notification by email or twitter with coded football plays for the Occupy pattern, message, targets etc. Our techies can figure out security solutions and the management of resources. Be creative. The Batman logo/99% projection on the NY building, was great. We need a constant stream of innovation. Many on the 1%ers side will wish they could go back to tents in the parks.

This is but one idea, which am I'm sure can be improved upon (and maybe has been already) but let's get started. Think offense, not defense. No need for a few people to get frostbite out there. I honor their sacrifice, but there are better ways. Change the world. OCCUPY their MINDS.

19 Comments

Excellent point about the problem of generating confrontations with police that distract from the intended message of the demonstration. The police should always be perceived and welcomed as allies of the people, not adversaries. After all, the job of the police is to enforce the law, whether the law is useful or detrimental. The police have less freedom of choice than the demonstrators.

Detrimental laws could be addressed by civil disobedience, but has that been OWS' objective so far? Are there detrimental laws on the books today for which OWS could increase awareness through civil disobedience? And are these the laws for which the members of OWS wish to sacrifice their time, comfort, and resources?

Well said. OWs has many objectives since it has no official objectives. Protest brigs out participants that are a broad spectrum. A spectrum has extremes, some are too extreme, It is like demands, 80% of the things mentioned are minor and not worth protesting, another 10% are so radical that only 2 or 4%% would actually support them. 4 or 5% are important rational and worth fighting for and would have broad support. That is where our focus should be.

Then let's conspire to elevate and rehearse those 4 or 5% of the issues that "are important, rational, and worth fighting for and would have broad support". One place to start might be to assemble links to posts already discussing these issues, and identify the users who best understand the issues, both pro and con. This might be accomplished on the occupywallstwiki.

You did an heroic job of answering all of the comments on your post re. OWS attitude toward law enforcement (235 as of January 15, 2012). I would not say your time was wasted, however, for there were many well thought-out comments, evan among those who disagreed.

Nonviolence can be more than a tactic, it can be an operating principle. Nonviolent operations not only prevent protesters from injuring the property and health of the protest target, nonviolent operations could be designed and executed to mollify and prevent any violent response from the target.

Certainly, but where is the "civil disobedience" in the Occupy movement? What unjust laws did they violate, in order to position themselves in conflict with law enforcement? When civil rights protesters sat at the front of the bus, or at whites-only lunch counters, they were violating unjust laws, and that was civil disobedience. But when Occupy protesters tried to block the Brooklyn Bridge, what was the unjust law? When they tried to take over public spaces for open-ended protests without permits, were they protesting against laws that require permits for political protests? Were they protesting unjust curfew laws?

It just makes no sense. When you take bold actions to draw attention to yourself and your message, your message needs to make some kind of sense. Occupy drew a lot of attention to itself, and then there wasn't any kind of message that made any sense. And there was very little concern over the lack of a coherent message. Which makes it pretty obvious that the real goal wasn't the message, it was just attracting attention and clashing with cops. There are no parallels to Rosa Parks.

Yours is a valid criticism in my opinion. But we have a better idea now, or a better verbalization of the idea of what is causing such discontent. Words are important. Instead of "We are the 99%" How about "We are among the 99%"? Instead of "Congress is corrupt", how about “Money corrupts the business of Congress"? Instead of "revolution", how about "evolution"? These modified expressions are not fighting words, but that is my point.

All good suggestions. Money is corrupting not just Congress but the execurive branch especially regulators, and sadly the judicial branch, as well (e.g. Thomas and Scalia's conflicts of interest). I am all for accuracy, and catchy slogans, link "Romney not quite the worst" etc.

An enhancement. Designate a few people with cell phones to call the media with fresh pictures of the action as it coalesces. If they see fresh pictures of an OWS flash event happening this will incite the media to respond quicker.

Much of what I see coming from OWS is the Anarcho-syndicalism solution, "proposed in somewhat differing implementations by both Chomsky, Fresco and other intellectuals". The so called great utopian dream of the social liberal anarchists of OWS. Two problems though. The disorder to implement it will potentially kill billions due to food shortages, and the leaderless vacuum it will create will probably be filled with something tyrannical per human nature.

Our Nation's people and our leaders "Revisiting our Constitution" might be a better place to start for the change needed. Intellectual pontificating by Godless men (ad nauseum) who claim an intellectual moral enlightenment, which exposes their lack of humility continue to lead the impressionable whose legitimate frustration is fed by a group victim mentality.

Creating a vacuum for tyranny will give all of us a lot more to worry about than crony capitalism which has nothing to do with the free market. Beware what you ask for....you may get more than you bargained for.....

Yes. Strategic occupations all winter long, growing as Spring approaches while the preparations for the "Big One' come together, Philadelphia July 4th. This must be done. NYCGA/CAR54 where are you? thx brightonsage